Ed Sayles was one of the pioneers in the youth theatre movement which began in this country during the early 1970’s and was dedicated to the sweeping away of the strictures which had made youth theatre an extremely stultifying and unexciting art form for both audiences and artists. In his many productions throughout Upstate New York and the Mid-West, he helped to lay the ground work for what is today an innovative and robust art form. In 1977, he founded the Fantasy Express which was in residence at the First Street Theatre in Dayton, Ohio. Under his direction, the Express quickly developed a reputation for innovation and excellence as it drew ever larger audiences to its intimate downtown performance space. Soon it became Ohio’s largest professional youth theatre company. It was here that Ed first began to experiment with the ideas and concepts which he would later refine at the Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre. Returning to his native Central New York in 1980, Ed became the Producing Director of the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse which was originally founded as the Auburn Children’s Theatre. The organization had fallen upon hard times both artistically and financially. With his characteristic energy and optimism, Ed set about correcting both problems. The Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre is now the largest touring youth theatre in Upstate New York and one of the largest in the country. Its unique curriculum based program serves over fifty-five school districts across the state and is a recognized leader in the development of theatre which is truly integrated into the educational process. On three separate occasions, the Merry-Go-Round has performed at National Youth Theatre showcases and has been invited to perform in schools in ten other states. In recognition of his achievements, Ed is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the American Theatre. During his career, he has received numerous grants to support his work and the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse has been funded continuously by the New York State Council on the Arts during his tenure.